19 Must-Have Design Elements For Any Home Entertainer

January 4, 2017

If hosting swanky dinner parties, booze-soaked evenings with fabulous friends or games nights to remember are kind of your thing, you know your home's functionality plays a huge role in achieving a "successful" evening. Jillian Harris knows it too, which is why she created an entertainer's dream redesign for Ellie and Davey on a recent episode of Love It Or List It Vancouver. Check out these must-have entertaining design elements now for a little inspiration ahead of your own soiree later. By Amber Dowling
Watch Love it or List it Vancouver on Mondays at 10pm e/p and watch missed episodes here!

Love it or List it Vancouver

19 Must-Have Design Elements For Any Home Entertainer

January 4, 2017

If hosting swanky dinner parties, booze-soaked evenings with fabulous friends or games nights to remember are kind of your thing, you know your home's functionality plays a huge role in achieving a "successful" evening. Jillian Harris knows it too, which is why she created an entertainer's dream redesign for Ellie and Davey on a recent episode of Love It Or List It Vancouver. Check out these must-have entertaining design elements now for a little inspiration ahead of your own soiree later. By Amber Dowling
Watch Love it or List it Vancouver on Mondays at 10pm e/p and watch missed episodes here!

A Bright Space

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A Bright Space

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If you plan on entertaining guests for hours in the same room, make sure it's one that feels bright and spacious -- even in the evening. Beachy colours like these ensure that your guests will feel relaxed and at home.

A Bright Space

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If you plan on entertaining guests for hours in the same room, make sure it's one that feels bright and spacious -- even in the evening. Beachy colours like these ensure that your guests will feel relaxed and at home.

Pillow Love

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Pillow Love

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Everyone loves to cuddle up so be sure to have lots of throw pillows on hand for guests to lounge on. Hey, the more relaxed they are, the longer they'll want to stay and hang out.

Pillow Love

Everyone loves to cuddle up so be sure to have lots of throw pillows on hand for guests to lounge on. Hey, the more relaxed they are, the longer they'll want to stay and hang out.

A Central Rug

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A Central Rug

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An appropriately sized throw rug on a hardwood floor is the perfect way to accent a room, while also providing a little extra padding for those guests that like to sit on the floor. To be honest, we don't blame those people -- the floor is a teensy bit closer to the coffee table, where the snacks are usually situated.

A Central Rug

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An appropriately sized throw rug on a hardwood floor is the perfect way to accent a room, while also providing a little extra padding for those guests that like to sit on the floor. To be honest, we don't blame those people -- the floor is a teensy bit closer to the coffee table, where the snacks are usually situated.

A Crafty Corner

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A Crafty Corner

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Some guests inevitably don't want to sit on the couch or floor, and would much rather curl up in their own arm chair with a little more personal space. Be sure to accent yours with a small table so that he or she can put their drinks and chip bowl down.

A Crafty Corner

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Some guests inevitably don't want to sit on the couch or floor, and would much rather curl up in their own arm chair with a little more personal space. Be sure to accent yours with a small table so that he or she can put their drinks and chip bowl down.

Fresh Flowers

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Fresh Flowers

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Not only do flowers accentuate and make the room look pretty, but they naturally make the place smell better too. It's little touches like these that show your guests you care.

Fresh Flowers

Not only do flowers accentuate and make the room look pretty, but they naturally make the place smell better too. It's little touches like these that show your guests you care.

Put up Buffers

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Put up Buffers

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This fireplace is beautifully designed and modernized thanks to the wood-like tiles. However it also blends in with the upper mantel ledge, creating a bit of a hazard to guests that aren't familiar with the room. Be sure to decorate it with something in a contrasting colour to avoid any injuries... and just to pretty up the room even further.

Put up Buffers

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This fireplace is beautifully designed and modernized thanks to the wood-like tiles. However it also blends in with the upper mantel ledge, creating a bit of a hazard to guests that aren't familiar with the room. Be sure to decorate it with something in a contrasting colour to avoid any injuries... and just to pretty up the room even further.

Comfy Throws

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Comfy Throws

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Thanks to unpredictable weather and guests with varying temperature preferences, you always want to make sure there are blankets on hand for when they get cold. Bonus points for blankets like these that add to the overall decor.

Comfy Throws

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Thanks to unpredictable weather and guests with varying temperature preferences, you always want to make sure there are blankets on hand for when they get cold. Bonus points for blankets like these that add to the overall decor.

Open Concept Dining

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Open Concept Dining

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An open concept design from kitchen to dining room is always ideal. Not only does it allow the cook to interact with the guests, but it also helps everyone to move back and forth with ease.

Open Concept Dining

An open concept design from kitchen to dining room is always ideal. Not only does it allow the cook to interact with the guests, but it also helps everyone to move back and forth with ease.

An Alternate Exit

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An Alternate Exit

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If you're able, having a side or back door close to the entertaining space is ideal for the smokers. Have a group of friends who are smoke-free? Sometimes it's just nice to catch some fresh air or to open the door and let the current air circulate a little.

An Alternate Exit

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If you're able, having a side or back door close to the entertaining space is ideal for the smokers. Have a group of friends who are smoke-free? Sometimes it's just nice to catch some fresh air or to open the door and let the current air circulate a little.

Pretty Dishes

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Pretty Dishes

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If you're going to host, odds are you probably already have a bunch of nice dishes on hand. But if not they're essential when it comes to creating an awesome dining atmosphere. Because who doesn't like to eat off of pretty dishes?

Pretty Dishes

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If you're going to host, odds are you probably already have a bunch of nice dishes on hand. But if not they're essential when it comes to creating an awesome dining atmosphere. Because who doesn't like to eat off of pretty dishes?

Awesome Storage

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Awesome Storage

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Of course you'll also need plenty of storage to keep all those pretty dishes in. We love these custom floor-to-ceiling cupboards Jillian had installed.

Awesome Storage

Of course you'll also need plenty of storage to keep all those pretty dishes in. We love these custom floor-to-ceiling cupboards Jillian had installed.

Fun Accessories

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Fun Accessories

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Throwing a little fun and colour into your design (in this case by way of these funky light coverings) inspires people to bring their own wacky and fun selves to the party. And isn't everyone letting loose what a good host really wants?

Fun Accessories

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Throwing a little fun and colour into your design (in this case by way of these funky light coverings) inspires people to bring their own wacky and fun selves to the party. And isn't everyone letting loose what a good host really wants?

Make it Homely

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Make it Homely

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You do want to keep some traditional touches like plants or unique art around, too. Anything that shows your personality is always a good way to go -- it helps everyone to relax knowing they're in a personalized space.

Make it Homely

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You do want to keep some traditional touches like plants or unique art around, too. Anything that shows your personality is always a good way to go -- it helps everyone to relax knowing they're in a personalized space.

Easy Flow

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Easy Flow

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If you've got the space for it, a well-crafted floor plan is key to allowing guests to mingle and interact either in a large group setting or via individual side conversations.

The Kitchen

Odds are you plan on cooking up a storm for your party goers, so you're going to need all the prep space you can get. This kitchen is pretty much our dream space in that regard.

Breakfast Bar

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Breakfast Bar

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Sure, you eat breakfast here, but this is also where your gang is going to congregate overs some drinks and maybe apps before heading into the more formal dining room. Therefore, the more space for everyone to crowd around, the better.

Breakfast Bar

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Sure, you eat breakfast here, but this is also where your gang is going to congregate overs some drinks and maybe apps before heading into the more formal dining room. Therefore, the more space for everyone to crowd around, the better.

A Fair-Sized Fridge

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A Fair-Sized Fridge

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Hey, if you're going to be doing lots of food prep, that means you're going to need to keep lots of dishes (but hopefully not too many leftovers) in the fridge. Having a spacious one really helps in those instances and avoids a game of food Tetris.

A Fair-Sized Fridge

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Hey, if you're going to be doing lots of food prep, that means you're going to need to keep lots of dishes (but hopefully not too many leftovers) in the fridge. Having a spacious one really helps in those instances and avoids a game of food Tetris.

A Large Sink

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A Large Sink

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Entertaining = dishes. And even if you have a great dishwasher, those plates and glasses need to stack up somewhere. With a deep soaker sink like this there will plenty of room to store them now, and to do dishes later.

A Large Sink

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Entertaining = dishes. And even if you have a great dishwasher, those plates and glasses need to stack up somewhere. With a deep soaker sink like this there will plenty of room to store them now, and to do dishes later.

A Signature Entrance

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A Signature Entrance

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Having a safe entrance with secure railings and level steps is pretty important (especially for potentially intoxicated guests leaving to catch those cabs). And when guests get there, they'll remember little touches like this awesome bright red door. Now this is a house they'll want to come back to over and over again.

A Signature Entrance

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Having a safe entrance with secure railings and level steps is pretty important (especially for potentially intoxicated guests leaving to catch those cabs). And when guests get there, they'll remember little touches like this awesome bright red door. Now this is a house they'll want to come back to over and over again.